The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-11-27
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Gen. Nswten thisks Tsnneis sheuia Take
the Place Of Bridges.


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0en. Newte~ thisks Tsnneis sheuia Take
the Place Of Bridges.
Tho Harlem River has always been to New
Workers. the representative OF great expecta-
tons. 1t Ia curious. when one thinks OF It, to
recall the length Of time that passed while mon
consented to ride In slow. cold, and comfortless
horse cars past tho really delightful Yorkville
section OF the city to reach the mud fats that
were known rs Harlem. They seemed to find
some Irresistible attraction on the shores Of
the marshy river, and were willing to submit
to considerable Inconvenience for the sake of
locating their habitations In the neiRhborhood.
Their faith In that once distant and inacces-
sible section Of the metropolis Ia at last to DO
rewarded. Persistence and perseverance, are
to be finally crowned with success, and the
banks OF the Harlem River will soon be lined
with wharves and warehouses. 30 far, well.
Extending along tho East River water front to
Port Morris, and II necessary even reaching to
Portchester Bay, the new shore line will offer
accommodations for every description OF ma
rine craft that floats; and when the channel
opening out into Long Island Sound has been
finally opened to commerce, and some OF the
largest ocean going ships can be sent by that
route to the sea, the highest dreams Of COM
mercial progress for Harlem and the north end
may be realized.
But, as usually happens when any long neg
lected public work is taken in hand. the Har-
lem River Improvement Is found complicated
with certain other improvements which were
made merely to servo o temporary need, and
without any reference to the future. Between
the mouth OF the Harlem and the Hudson
River there are nearly a dozen bridges either
finished or under construction. and they are
nearly all pier bridges, which present, when To-
Gated near together. very formidable obstruc-
tions to navigation. With the single exception
Of High Bridge, too, these pier bridges are
oil so low that no sailing craft taller
than q catboat can pass beneath the
roadway. This is q great present dis
advantage. and 1t is suggestive Of a still greater
evil in the future. As the northern part OF the
city grows there must be ar increasing demand
inhabitants Of every longitudinal street will
ali Heratiiesd, in accordance With tue prevailing
system; ne open spaces q unobstructed water
t Hsam0e Ely yhe BOXES SflaseS f MSHIs sG SstS Se NO s jenxsf
avenue and McComb's Dam Bridge they IRE
inquiry among sailors and boatmen reveals
tho fact that this multiplication OF bridges is
t tho drle cert Rirs to ! render aimn the Improvement OF
tax hsri as a ni msan as f a1mf fSe wiG mpreysm ande IF
navigation. Masters Of tugs. tell us that they
are sometimes even now subject to very lam
fii Sh1 VuOh thoy .hoNo to"o w thho
through the bridges. at the lower end of the
stream RET n a. 4 waste e, q time, which b. will count
Usual. Il incident Of al . trip RI % to. TIE 4 A aHI nm and nni
this is a constantly growing evil: But II
sseh , delays to run are the possible s%aaDtlet wh CT t S,3
or three draws, what OF eXasperating
Ierplexity might not a boatman expect to on.
River. when he would be likely to find a sleepy
bridge tender or some other obstruction at
almost every draw. An enterprising CAPTAIN
Harlem River navigation. and he would not
s"le Trout route. but Aihn he would sas idnf have ena fewer %er
oaths to be blotted out by the tears Of the re-
cording angel at the end OF his cruise,
Again, with reference to sailing craft. Under
favorable conditions Of wind and tide the Cap
tains OF such vessels would expect to make
through u channel that offered the obstruction
OF a closed draw every few hundred feet. and
presented at every, turn the, sharp, corners of 9
they happened to be swept by an unlucky tide
broadside on to the obstruction. A solitary
proper shields. might not prove a very formid-
able obstruction but to expect an old sailor to
be caught among a mob Of bridges. each ready
is easy to see that IL the construction OF bridges
across the Harlem River is to go forward, or II
the utility Of the improvement will be greatly
impaired II not entirely neutralized
The opinion OF Gen: Newton on this subject
bis work as an engineer in charge OF the New
York harhor improvements. his attention, was
navigation, and no person not a practical boat.
man. trained to manage q. helm and experienced
q T u i ei't to s Sd %inof The IMc y ii,Tss' Of a' GEN. % NEWTON est.Sp
are very well defined. Except where bridges
are absolutely necessary. as at Second and
r nif road t trains, and '19 po saf g" the Mct % f5sy Bsm
which forms the connecting link OF at
,drireways, he does not hesitate to OK
DrpSS his Orpfprpnpp for tunnalS Ha would
carry the streets and all surface railways under
the river, Hethinks the managers of tho Harlem
own best interest. In seeking 70 maintain a
bride at a point where they are likely to both
and he would favor the construction of n tunnel
Mt every crossing on the low ground where now
means OF transit may hereafter be desired. BY
the removal OF The Third avenue bridge
and the Madison avenue bridge, and would not
Of the managers Of the iUsf HUDSON dseanf liver Railroad saH pardi
they to construct an enlarged bridge
a acroo the neT s54ifeet chapnel which will Be
end OF the Improvement.
With regardto the difference in cost between
willing to express, an opinion. The obstruc-
tons in tho way OF tunnels can only be estl-
mated after a careful survey OF the ground;
great rs the cost Of bridges, we're they con-
should be- demanded II in ae city that Is be.
ginning to pride itself somewhat on its arcli-
teeturs; The bridges which now span the H9r-
better than one would expect to meet on the
line Of any well-constructed railroad In a coun-
try district, 1t is not to be presumed that tho
people of New York would always consent TO
be served by similar structures.
When the question Of maintenance Is con-
there can he no doubt that the recon-
incubation OF economy Is on. the side Of tun-
nels. 1t costs q considerable sum to man n
irawbridge where the draw must be operated
1y u steam engine. and held ready to. be
opened at any hour OF the day or night. We're
he cost OF maintaining all the draws between
he two rivers would certainly amount to much
more than the interest on the difference. In
for economy, too. the loss to street
rattle, caused by open draws, must not be for
cotton: This would eventually make a very
arge item In a year.
Tho Latest News OF Mrs. Mackay In Paris.
From the Philadelphia Tnes.
Mrs. J. W. Mackay, who is distinguished as